New Rochelle Democratic Primary Candidates Discuss Issues at NAACP Forum

Written By: Robert Cox

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (May 11, 2023) — The NAACP New Rochelle Branch held a candidate forum at St. Catherine AME Zion Church on Thursday evening, May 11, 2023. The forum featured candidates for City Council Districts 3 and 4, as well as mayoral candidates.

The forum was moderated by Aisha Cooke, the vice president of the NAACP New Rochelle Branch, and lasted for about two hours. The candidates spoke about their backgrounds, visions, and priorities for the city, as well as answered questions from the NAACP and the audience. The topics ranged from affordable housing, economic development, downtown revitalization, police reform, education, and racial justice.

In District 4, incumbent Ivar Hyden is facing challenger Shane Osinloye. Hyden said he was running to finish what he started and wanted to focus on affordable housing. He cited his experience as City Council member and a current board member of the New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency. Osinloye said his goal was to get everything back on Lincoln Avenue that the federal government took away and that his focus was economic development. He expressed his concern about the LINC project, a mixed-use development that will replace the Lincoln Avenue corridor, because it did not accommodate black businesses. He also questioned the downtown development plan that promises 10,000 units but no ownership.

In District 3, four candidates are vying for the seat: Margaret Chadwick, Kwamaine Dixon, David Peters, and Lianne Merchant.

District 3 was set up as a black opportunity district under a federal court order to provide opportunities for black representation on the City Council.

Chadwick acknowledged that she was not a minority and said she was running to represent everyone in the district. She said she had a track record of community service and advocacy.

Dixon said he was well familiar with the history of the district and that he had concerns about the LINC project because it did not provide for a black business district. He noted that 60 homes were destroyed to create Memorial Highway and he wanted 60 plots of land back. He said he wanted to continue the fight of past NAACP leaders like Napoleon Holmes and current president Rev. Mark McLean.

Peters said he was close to lifelong resident of the district and that he had experience in public service. He said he wanted to improve the quality of life in the district by addressing issues such as crime, and infrastructure.

Merchant said she wanted to bring more resources and opportunities to the district by collaborating with other stakeholders.

The mayoral candidates were Damon Maher and Yadira Ramos-Herbert.

Maher is the current county legislator for District 10. He said he had a vision for New Rochelle that included a pause on development, fiscal responsibility, social justice, and civic engagement. He said he had a proven record of delivering results for New Rochelle at the county level.

Ramos-Herbert represents District 3 on city council. She said she had a passion for serving New Rochelle and that she wanted to make it more inclusive, and equitable. She said she wants to address challenges facing New Rochelle such as housing affordability, and public safety.

The forum was part of the NAACP’s civic engagement efforts to inform and empower voters in New Rochelle. The primary election will be held on June 27, 2023.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/11/2023

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Raw Notes:

The NAACP New Rochelle Branch Candidate Forum was held at St. Catherine AME Zion Church in New Rochelle on Thursday evening May 11 2023.

The Democratic Party primary election will be held on June 27, 2023.

Candidates speaking were:

City Council District 4: Ivar Hyden, Shane Osinloye

City Council District 3: Margaret Chadwick, Kwamaine Dixon, David Peters, Lianne Merchant

Mayoral Candidates: Damon Maher, Yadira Ramos-Herbert

The two candidates from District 4 spoke for about two minutes. Ivar Hyden and Shane Osinloye

Hyden said that he was running to finish what he started and wanted to focus on affordable housing. Osinloye said that his goal is to get everything back on Lincoln Avenue that the federal government took away that his focus is economic development and that he’s concerned about the LINC because it doesn’t accommodate black businesses. And he’s concerned about downtown development. Because it promises 10,000 units but no ownership.

Four candidates for the district three city council seat addressed the audience Margaret Chadwick, Kwamaine Dixon, David Peters, and Lianne Merchant

NAACP asked the first several questions.

The first question was to talk about the idea that having city council districts in New Rochelle was meant to provide opportunities for black people to have representation as City Council which they did not have in at large elections. District Three was set up as a black opportunity district under a federal court order. More Chadwick noted that she was not a minority. In fact, the three other candidates are African American and she’s white.

Dixon said that he was well familiar with the history and that he has concerns about the LINC because it’s not providing for a black business district. He noted that 60 homes are destroyed to create Memorial Highway. He wants 60 plots of land back and he wants to continue the fight of past NAACP leaders like Napoleon Holmes and the current President Rev. Mark McLean.

Peters noted that African Americans were once a majority in district three but it’s no longer strictly a black district. Merchant talked about workforce housing.

The NAACP asked a question about the development boom in New Rochelle. Dixon said that he wanted to pause the development. He brought up the recent indictment for contractors involved in building the stella apartment building. He noted that we don’t have affordable housing. We need to change and open the books on what’s been happening with the development.

Peters said that the city government needs to recognize there are people who live here and want to stay here. He wanted to have a policy of having local hires and he wants to slow down the development. Merchant who was in favor of the development said that the developers pay fees and give the city money which is then used to provide programs to residents. She supported the downtown overlay zone and that’s providing residential housing but she’s not happy about the idea that there will be development in the historical district where she lives. Chadwick said that she’s very concerned about a developer building in the Rochelle Heights neighborhood. She supports thoughtful development, but she’s concerned that there’s been no oversight

The NAACP asked each candidate their three main priorities to improve quality of life in district three and city wide

David Peters said he wanted to slow development and have responsible development. He felt that Starbucks was a mistake, because it will put toxic fumes into a residential area. He spoke about community safety but never really got around to defining what he meant. Lianne merchant says she wants to see the LINC project fulfilled that she supports development, including workforce and affordable housing. Another priority for her is infrastructure and she specifically mentioned flooding issues, including in District Three. Margaret Chadwick said that the biggest concern that she had was the lack of communication because it leads to people dealing in rumors and thinking there are backroom deals. And then speaking to constituents, they often feel they’re in the dark and that the government officials work for outside people, not the residents. Dixon spoke about development, affordable housing, infrastructure and crime, specifically gun violence. And he praised judge Jared Rice’s program. The opportunity youth part to give young people who are arrested a second chance

Dr Carla Woolbright asked each candidate how they will distinguish themselves on the council

David Peters said that he recently took a trip to Georgetown with the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle and judge Jared rice.

Lianne Merchant talked about her experience on the library board and on the school board over a period of about two decades. Margaret Chadwick said that she was a member of the Civil Service Commission, and that she played hardball when departments came to the Civil Service Commission, attempting to open up positions to be available at the county and state level. And if jobs didn’t go to local people, she would demand to see the resumes that were considered in demand answers. Dixon said that he’s an advocate, not a politician. And he wants to represent the people of district three by having a district three Advisory Committee, which he would meet with regularly, and then reflect their views back to the other members of the city council.

The candidates spoke about development and business in New Rochelle. Dixon said that developers should discount retail space to local residents. David Peters said he went to buy a tie the other day and he had to go to mount Vernon because he couldn’t find any place in New Rochelle that would sell him a tie. He also said that he can’t do his dry cleaning in New Rochelle like he used to do.

Peters is perhaps unaware that Marshall’s has an entire menswear section and offers a large selection of men’s ties.

I asked ChatGPT for a list of dry cleaners in New Rochelle (not including dry cleaners based in neighboring towns that operate in New Rochelle)

Here is a list of dry cleaners in New Rochelle with their name and address:

Peters said that people here can’t find things; maybe he needs to look harder.

He said that infrastructure is not just flooding that people are infrastructure. Lianne merchant talked about the three vacant lots on North Avenue in District Three. she said that having retail is tricky. It’s important to show retailers that the community can sustain their business. She spoke about the retail taskforce which is addressing this issue and noted that it was a fairly complicated issue. Margaret Chadwick said that New Rochelle should look to its amazing young people who could probably open amazing businesses. And get funding and to start businesses. And then we all give them our business.

Angela Farish, the executive director of the New Rochelle municipal Housing Authority. Asked about gun violence. She noted that when a shooting occurs, she’s the one in the room who tells the mother that your son is dead. She wanted to know how the candidates would help her eliminate gun violence. Margaret Chadwick said that gun violence is what saddens me the most that people think it’s okay to own a gun. We have to trust our police and create a sense of community. Lianne merchant said, we have to work with the police and legislate on guns, maybe do something locally and get guns off the street.

David Peters told a story about how his father was shot and killed when he was young. And later his stepfather shot and killed two people and was imprisoned. He said my entire profession is grounded in solving conflict without violence. Kwamaine Dixon says gun violence is a plague on the community. He talked about bullets going through the windows at heritage homes and that his daughter had been a victim of gun violence.

Each candidate then delivered closing remarks. Margaret Chadwick said she wants to talk to residents, that she’s an upstanding, honest person, honest to a fault, that she cares. Kwamaine Dixon said he’s a community advocate, not a politician, and he would advocate for the community if he was on the city council. Lianne merchant talked about her experience 12 years on the board of the New Rochelle Public Library. 10 years on the New Rochelle Board of Education, including time as president of the board. During which time $106 million bond was passed. And during her time as president, she led the effort to decrease taxes on veterans. She said I will not disappoint. David Peter says you’re life depends on coming out to vote. He said I’m a community advocate. There’s no Where’s Waldo with David Peters. I’m in the streets. I’m in City Hall. Advocating. I’m a team player. I build teams. I’m grounded.

Next was the NAACP mayoral candidate forum.

in his opening remarks, Damon Maher recited some of his accomplishments in the county legislature. He talked about getting rid of gun shows, voting against budgets because they didn’t have enough funding for daycare services. And he was the housing chair at the time that the county allocated $70 million for affordable housing. And 20 million of it went to New Rochelle.

Yadira Ramos Herbert talked about how she moved to New Rochelle and lived on Prince Street. And there was a park at Lincoln and that she was unhappy because the park near her house did not look like parks on the north side of New Rochelle. She said that in her first six months on the city council COVID hit and then a few months later Kamal Flowers was shot and killed by a New Rochelle police officer. She was concerned about COVID vaccination for African-Americans so she arranged for a COVID vaccine bus to come to district three. She served as a member of the community police partnership board, which has delivered real results like data and putting a complaint form online.

The NAACP asked what the three main priorities were for each candidate regarding quality of life. Yadira Ramos-Herbert said affordability and housing, gun violence and sustainability. Damon Maher said his priorities were to slow the development process. He mentioned the recent indictment of contractors involved with the Stella and that there’s no oversight When criminals can work on projects funded by the taxpayer. He said that the city needs a good labor policy and that some representative of labor should be on the planning board and the Industrial Development Agency.

He said that he would work to turn around the zoning that allowed the Starbucks to have a drive thru. He talked about pedestrian safety and he noticed several areas around town where it’s dangerous to cross the street.

The NAACP asked if there was adequate minority representation or diversity in the city workforce. Damon Maher said no. He told a story about meeting with the city manager along with several other people to talk about a national search for hiring a minority for a commissioner position. reading between the lines he was talking about the police commissioner and that ultimately the city manager hired a white person from within

Yadira Ramos Herbert agreed, saying no, there’s not enough black commissioners. She noted that as a member of council even as mayor, she would have to discuss with colleagues her desire to address this issue.

She acknowledged the mayor or city council members don’t make hiring decisions for the city government that’s the job of the city manager.

The NAACP asked about the development boom in downtown New Rochelle. Yadira Ramos Herbert said it was impressive to see I do believe in development but concurred with Damon that there should be a labor representative on the IDA and planning board. She also mentioned the indictment and said that the city manager had hired an auditor. She said that stopping development is dangerous.

Damon Maher took a jab at Ramos-Herbert by noting that she was now repeating some of his own talking points about having labor representatives involved in the IDA and planning board.

Maher said that in the County Board of Legislators 95% of the decisions are by consensus they’re unanimous, but that he’s taken on his share of fights like on the police committee, where he pushed for and got a mental health response capability for the county police which is now used by local police departments including the New Rochelle Police Department.

Shane Osinloye asked a question about how to put more back into the hands of people who live here meaning local black residents.

Damon Maher responded saying that he believed in term limits.

Maher spoke about black ownership, but in particular the firing of the Housing Authority Board and how the board that was fired was actually working to create a new complex where the Bracy apartments are now which offered equity stake opportunities for Bracey residents and that it was disturbing to him that after the entire board of the Housing Authority was fired there was not a peep from anyone at city council. Yadira Ramos-Herbert spoke about minority and women owned business enterprises that she supported them. She did not mention that MWBE fraud was one of the main elements of the recent indictment of contractors working on the Stella in New Rochelle. She said that the Holiday Market was a good example of the city supporting minority and women owned businesses because they got an opportunity to set up shop at the train station.

Sharon Footes targeted Yadira Ramos-Herbert saying she really wasn’t part of the community, that her daughter attends a private school, that she’s not really out in District Three, that when the issue came up of that having black owned businesses Yadira Ramos-Herbert said that black people would have an opportunity to operate the 9 to 13 smoke shops that have been approved for New Rochelle.

Yadira Ramos-Herbert said that she wanted district three to be safe but not over policed. That she had held meetings at bracey apartments, she attempted to get young people involved by incentivizing them with pizza

Damon Maher said that local youth should be employed in downtown development projects through apprentice programs that were promised but has not been done. And he asked the question about how does kamal flowers a passenger in a car ended up dead?

Myriam Decime asked a multi part question. How would you handle certain situations as mayor? One was about the drive thru at Starbucks. The other was about the firing of the Housing Authority Board. And the other was about night construction. Damon Maher expressed again this view that it was very wrong what happened with the Housing Authority Board. He described the Starbucks drive thru as “environmental racism” and that, in inquiring about the night construction that the answers he got from the city were unsatisfactory. Yadira Ramos-Herbert said that the night construction was actually happening in district two and Al Tarantino who represent district to handle that, regarding the housing authority that was a decision for the city manager. It was in her purview. And as far as Starbucks she reminded people of the answers that she gave at 33 Lincoln which was that the people at Bracy wanted a strong partner, a national brand that could provide security for the people in Bracy and that they were they wanted Starbucks as a partner

The next question was about drainage and Flooding and what can be done to mitigate that. Yadira Ramos-Herbert said that her journey in New Rochelle began on Prince Street, that she was well aware of the flooding because she experienced it herself personally, and that she referenced a watershed study. Damon maher brought up Starbucks again he had finished what he was wanting to say earlier and disputed the claim that it was a response to a desire for having a strong national partner and soon after that statement was made. There was stories in the news about union busting by Starbucks.

Dr. Carla Woolbright asked about tax relief And what can a mayor do?

Yadira Ramos-Herbert said that it was important for even local officials to advocate against the for repeal of the salt tax cap, which is a federal policy.